Improvement in hip and thigh braces



H. R. ALLEN.

HIP AND THIGH-BRACE.. N0.170,656 Patented Dec.:7,1 8'75.

N.PETF.RS. PHOTO-UTHOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HORACE It. ALLEN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN HIP AND THIGH BRACES.

Specicaton forming part of Letters Patent No. 170,656, dated December 7, 1875; application led september 25, 1875.'

CASE O.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, HORACE R. ALLEN, of Indianapolis, county of Marion, State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Braces for Treating Deformed Portions of the Hips and Thighs, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the agcompanying drawings.

, My invention relates to the construction and arrangement ofthe different parts of the brace, the upper part of which is designed to be secured around the body at or below the waist, and is supported or pivoted to the lower or leg brace on the outside of the hip, also lbetween the legs, so as to allow a natural motion of the body and legs.

In order to accommodate this brace to the several stages of treatment of males as well as females, it is necessary to employ several different designs and forms of the upper or body sections in connection with the lower or leg section, of which the following is a speciication:

Figure l represents a back elevation of my improved brace. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an opposite-side view from that of Fig. 2, showing a different form of the upper section. Fig. 4 represents another form of the upper section-designed for general use. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the upper section as shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 represents a plan and side view of the auxiliary piece that is sometimes attached to the leg part of the brace to help form a support for the upper section, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. I7 represents the removable side bar or extended connection at the thighs..

rThe lower or leg part of the brace is con-v id, if required. The uprights B2 B3 are united by curved bars A1 A2, the bar A2 having a strap and buckle, C, attached for securing the Alower part of the brace to the leg below the knee. Above the bar A1 the side bars B2 B3 are pivoted to the upright side bars B B1, with a sliding band, M, on the joints, so as to make the joints rigid, if required, or free to work ou the pivots f f. The upper ends of the side bars B Bl are united by the curved bar A. The side bar B is turned outward, or forms a right angle at its upper end, and is provided with a hole, in which is inserted the tube L3; or there may be a clip formed on the upper end of the bar B, to receive the tube L3. This is also secured to the side bar B by rivets d. In

this tube L3 is inserted an adjusting-screw,

freely on the eyebolt L and screw L1. At the rear end of the padded spring-brace or seat-piece K is attached one leaf of a hinge, J', the other leaf of which is secured to the spring J, which is also attached to the pad H. The lower end of the springJ is provided with an adjustingscrew, J by means of which the pad H can be adjusted with any amount of pressure against the body that may be desired. The front part of the padded spring-brace K extends upward far enough to receive one or more curved spring-bars, F F', which are riveted thereto. K3 is an extra spring-brace, used to elevate the body when required. The spring curved bars F F extend around the back to the sides ofthe body, and are united together at the ends by the s'ide spring-bars O O1. The bar 01 extends below the bar F, and is pivoted to the upper end ofthe adjustin g-screw O2, which is also provided with an adjusting-nut, O3, and inserted into the tube O4. This tube O4 is also inserted in a hole in the angular part `of the side bar B3, or to a clip attached thereto, and secured therein by the pivot screw O3, which also secures the lower end of the side bar B5 to the side bar B1. The side bar B5 is further secured to the curved bar A ofthe lower section of the brace by the bolt or stud 03, which has the sides of the head attened, so as to pass through a slot, V, of the bar B5, as shown more fully in Fig.

7. The pivoted joint of the side bar O1 and adjusting-screw O2, in connection with the universal joint formed by the eyebolt L and eye in the end of the adjusting-screw L1, allows thev natural motion of the body and hips forward and backward, and, at kthe Sametime, the body-braces F F1 can beelevated or depressed at pleasure between the legs and at the hip-joint by means of the adjusting screws and nuts O2 O3 and L1 L2. The upper spring curved bar F is provided with studs a a', or buckles, to which are attached the strap G,

. and the lower spring curvedbar F is also provided with the same for the straps G1 G5,

which are also secured to the pad E in the rear, as shown in Figs. l and 2.

At the front of the lower spring-bar F is pivoted a socket, E", in which isl inserted a piece, E5, which is hinged to the adjustingscrew E5, and this` screw is provided with an adjustable nut, E4, and-inserted into the tube E3, which is pivoted at the bottom to the piece E2, and inserted in the socket E1. Thisy socket is pivoted or rivetedfast to the auxiliary curved bar E. (Shown more fully in'Fig. 6.) The bar E can be riveted solid to the uprights B B1, and the bar A removed, or the bars Aand E may be made continuous.

If used as shown in the drawings, the bar E has a notch, s, and a hook, s', on each end,

kand can be inserted in two rings or eyes formed on the ends of the curved bar A, or secured in any other convenient manner.

' By adjusting the nut EI1 the body of they brace can be inclined forward or backward,

as desired. If the auxiliary curved bar E and adjusting-screw E5, with its connections, are removed, then the upper part of the legbrace can be secured around the thighs by means ofthe strap D. In some stages of treatment the body-braces, as shown in Fig. 3, would have to lbe substituted for that, as shown in Figs. l and 2.

The body-brace, as shown in Fig. 3, isvcomposed of the padded spring-brace or seat-piece` K1, which is only supported on the end of the adjusting-screw L1.' The screw in this case is provided with a T or L shaped head, P,on which are riveted on each side the springsR R', which cross each other, and are attached to the padded spring-brace K1, in such a manner as s form. The part which is lat is connected by .the eyebolt L to thefadjustable screwL1, and

comes between the legs. The curved part circles around the thigh, having a quarter-twist of the base of the padded brace, so that the pivoted joint O7 can work freely on the adjustable screw O2. This arrangement forms a brace for the hip, and at the same time allows a free and easy motion of the body atthe hipjoints. The circular padded brace T is securedto leg by means of the strap and buckle U U'. The side bar B5, with the tube O1 and adjustable screw O2, can be removed. from the upper bar A' of the leg-brace and the side bar B1 by removing the pivot-screw 05, and turning the. bar` B5 around, so as to allow the dat-sided stud or bolthead O6 to pass through the slot V.

At the bottom of the leg-section of the brace, on the piece B4, is a loop or hole, t1,

through which passes a strap, t, one end of which is' attached to the foot of the patient, and the other end is buttoned or buckled on the outside of the brace, as at t2.

The object of this arrangement is to cause a continued strain to bebroughtto bear-on the limb to be treated. It is often necessary to place lthe limb that is to'be treated in the lower section, but not to let'it rest von the bottom of` the brace, and the limb, if it is contracted, must be drawn out.

In orderto accomplish this the strap t is used,

as shown lin Fig. 1, attached to the leg W.L

When cases of this kind are to be treated, or when the leg-brace, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is used, audit is required to prevent the brace from coming in vcontact with the ground while walking, it becomes necessary to elevate the opposite leg by placing on the foot an extended sole or calk, of sufficient` heighttoallow-the other foot with the brace thereon toclear the ground. This arrangement is not' shown in the drawings, but is very essential and a valuable improvement in connectionwith the braces, as shown.

" kWhat I claim kas new, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The curved padded spring-brace o r seat-v'v piece'K, provided with anleyebolt, L, in combination `with the adjustable screw L', substantially as and for the purpose setforth and described.

v2. The combination of the curved padded spring-brace .K and one or more curved springbars, F F', provided with straps G G1 G2, substantially as described.

3. The adjustable hinged spring-bar J, provided with the adjusting-screwJ, in combination with the curved padded spring-brace K and pad H, substantially as set forth and described.

4. The side bar O1, in combination with one or more curved spring-bars, F F', and pivoted to the adjustable screw O2, substantially as and for the purpose set forth and described.

5. The removable side bar B5, constructed with anangleV or clip, as described, in combination with the tube O4, adjusting-screw O2, and side bar O1 of the body-brace F F' or thigh-'brace T, substantially as and for th purpose set forthand described.

6. In combination witli the leg and body parts of the braces, the adjustable screw E5, tube E3, hinged at the top and bottom to pieces E2 E6, and secured in sockets E1 E, which are pivoted to the curved spring-bars F and E, or other parts, substantially as and for the purpose set forth and described.

7. The curved spring-bar E, provided with notches s and hooks s', or attached in any manner with the curved spring-bar A, subA stantially as set forth and described.

8. The curved padded spring-brace or seatpiece K1, in combination with the rocking springs R R and adjusting-screw L1, constructed and operated substantially as set forth and described.

9. The curved padded seat-piece or band T, in combination with the eyebolt L, adjustingscrew L1, and adj usting-screw O2, arranged to operate substantially as set forth and described.

In testimony whereof I havc signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HORACE R. ALLEN. Witnesses:

WM. P. JOHNSON, WM. L. PEGK. 

